The present invention relates to a cable guiding chute for vibratory cable laying plows. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cable chute having a plurality of gates that are selectively used depending upon the desired cable radius that is needed for the specific job.
Various cable guiding chutes have been proposed in the prior art. Examples of prior art patents which broadly teach the idea of guiding and laying cables include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,222,876, 3,338,060 and 3,395,545. These patents, however, do not teach the use of any structure which improves the accessability to the cable guiding chute or the dispensing and guiding of cable at different radii. Similarly, several other prior art patents include a general teaching of a removable component to provide accessability to the interior of the cable guiding chute, examples of such prior art being U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,004, 3,931,717 and 3,948,059, which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention. These patents also do not suggest an improved structure for providing ease in accessibility, dispensing and guiding cables for vibratory plows.
A base shortcoming in conventional cable chutes of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patents is the inability to quickly and conveniently change from one cable radius to another. Further, the large surface area of the sides of typical cable chutes creates a drag during the dispensing and guiding of the cable. Moreover, the potential for damage to the cable exists in conventional chute constructions when the plow blade is removed from the ground. Thus, there has been a need for a cable chute construction which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cable chute that is capable of guiding and laying cables at different drop radii. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction which improves the accessibility to the interior of the cable chute and improves the dispensing and guiding of the cable. Moreover, the present invention is intended to provide an uncomplicated cable guiding structure for permitting easy removal, insertion, or replacement of cables as the need arises.